Charging mechanism for coating confectionery.



No. 637,053. Patented Nov. l4, I899. W. H. WEEKS.

CHARGING MECHANISM FOR COATING GONFECTIONERY.

(Application filed .m 14, 1899.)

(No Model.)

ms Noims PEYERS do. mum-Una. wxsxmmm o. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM 11. WEEKS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CHARGING MECHANISM FOR COATING CONFECTIONERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,053, dated November14, 1899.

I Application filed July 14,1899. Serial No. 723,800. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. WEEKS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCharging Mechanism for Coating Confectionery, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to charging mechanism for coating confectionery,and has for its object the rapid placing of the cores, centers, or formsto be coated into the receptacles wherein theyare placed preparatory totheir immersion into the coating solution, thereby increasing the outputof goods for a given amount of labor and the consequent decrease incost.

I attain the objects of my invention by the mechanism illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view. Fig. 2 is afront Viewin readiness for loading, partially broken to show the coresin suspension; Fig. 3, a front view when discharging the cores,partially broken to show the dropped cores; Fig. 4, an end view inreadiness for loading; Fig. 5, a partial end view when delivering itsload; Fig. 6, an enlarged plan view of a part of one of the tippingplates. Fig. 7 is a View of a core as received and held by the tippingplates. Fig. 8 is a view of a core as being delivered by the tippingplates. Fig. 9 is an enlarged end view of the tipping plates. Fig. 10 isa modification of means for holding the tipping plates.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts throughout theviews.

My mechanism has an outer rectangular case formed of sides 1 2 and ends34. Above ends 3 4 are secured removable caps 5 6, held by screws 7 toends 3 4, which extend upward toafiush height with sides 1 2. Betweenends 3 4 and caps are openings 8 circular in shape and forming bearingsfor tipping plates 9. Tipping plates 9, having journals 10, are securedin openings orbearings 8, as seen in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive. The plates9 have at their edge opposite journals 1O semicircular openings ornotches 11, and their outer ends 12 are carried beyond the case ends 3 4and caps 5 6 and areformed to a curved inclined shape 13, tending fromthe openings 14, which are 7 cut away to clear case ends 3 4 and caps 56 toward their extreme ends 15, and are also rounded upon their lower orunder side,as seen at 32, Figs. 4, 5, and 9. The tipping plates 9 areplaced in pairs within the case, journaled in openings 8 and with theirnotched edges toward each other, but enough removed from each other topermit them' to swing down freely andwithout interference. At the outersides of ends 3 4 of the case are supports 16 1'7, secured for swingingmovement by hinges 18, which are also secured to case ends 3 4, and whenin the position shown in Figs.2 and 4 hold the plates 9 flat, as seeninFigs.1, 2, and 4. The supports are held in their upright position, asseen in Fig. 2, by rods 19 20, which are connected to lever 21,fulcrumed at 22 and controlled by tension-spring 30, the lever 21extending upwardly beyond the rod connection and then bent outward at24.

In some sizes of my mechanism 1 do not put supports at each end of thetipping plates, but only at one end.

My case is placed upon any suitable bench, table, or support, and guides'24 25 are attached to the said support and provide a means by which theoperator controls the case when in the act of loading and alsodischarging.

To operate my mechanism, the attendant introduces into the case aboveplates 9 a deemed sufficient number of cores, centers, or forms 26,which the mechanism will receive for one operation and which are to beplaced in the receptacle for immersion into.

the coating solution, and they naturally fall on plates 9 in apromiscuous mass. The operator now works the'case in the directioncontrolled by guides 24 25 and by short sudden moves and quick reversingshakes the cores about, which movements in a very short time cause amajority of the cores to enter the openings formed by the notches 11,leaving only a very smallproportion to be placed by hand, and thusgreatly economizing the time over the hand method hereto fore employed.When the openings 11 are filled with cores supported as seen in Figs. 1,2, and 7 the operator places'the case over the dippingmeceptacle 27 andagainst stops 28 to place the cores 26 exactly over the pockets in thereceptacle. Then by movinglever 21 to the position shown in Fig. 3supports 16 17 will be turned down, tipping plates 9 will roll on theirbearings 10, their near edges 29 will roll down, as seen in Figs. 3, 5,and 8, and the cores 26 will be released to drop into the pockets ofreceptacle 27. Pressure upon lever 21 now being released the spring 30will force all the moving parts to their normal position in readinessfor reloading, as seen in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 7. The rounded surface 32and edge 13 of plates 9 and the rounded surface 31 of supports 16 17provide the means for easy and frictionless replacing of plates 9 aftertheir dropping. Side 1 is of less depth than side 2, as seen at 33, toallow my mechanism to pass freely over the dipping-receptacle 27.

In Fig. 10 I show a modification in which a fiat spring 34: is attachedto end 3 of the case and holds support 16 in an upright position, exceptwhen the support is pressed against by the operator, when the springyields and allows the support 16 and tipping bars 9 to drop, but forcessupport 16 and tipping bars 9 to their normal loading position upon theremoval of the operators pressure. This modification is used in someinstances, as in small mechanisms, where it is unnecessary to providethe means to support a heavy charge.

I claim- 1. In a charging mechanism, a case, and journaled thereintipping plates, in pairs, and at their outer or opposite edges, meansformed on and in the plates to receive and support cores, centers orforms between them, means to support the plates, and means to remove thesupports and tip the plates, in manner substantially as set forth.

2. In a charging mechanism, a case having bearings formed therein, atthe ends, caps over the bearings, multiple pairs of tipping platesjournaled in the bearings, means tact with the case, a part of eachplate extending beyond the part removed as aforesaid, and exterior tothe case, curved and rounded surfaces for the ends, yielding supportscurved and rounded at their point of contact with the plates, means tosecure the supports for upward and downward swinging, means to releasethe supports and drop the plates and thereafter replace the supports andforce the plates to their load receiving or charging position,substantially as set forth. a

4. In a charging mechanism, a case, and supported therein multipletipping plates, in pairs, journaled upon the opposite edges of eachpair, means to support the plates in fiat position for charging, meansto guide the case for forward and backward movements, means to stop thecase at a predetermined position, and means to simultaneously tip eachpair of plates and discharge the charge between and below them, inmanner and form substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RANSOM O. WRIGHT, WILLIAM G. STOWER.

